What are the Fundraising Letters?
Composing a fundraising request by means of writing a fundraising letter, is not a difficult task. However, it is important for you to know the things that may and may not work while writing a fundraising letter. Even in the internet world today, a fundraising letter can create a great impact in the mind of a reader.
If you want to successfully raise few dollars for your organization, then writing an effective donation or a fundraising letter is important. When you are asking for money for a good cause, make use of decent as well as polite language but this does not mean that you have to plead or beg for money in front of the reader.
What are your goals? It is important to state your goals and stories related to it in a fundraising letter so that the reader can find it easy to take a donation related decision. It is important to address all the potential concerns, in this type of a letter. The length of the letter should not be too short or too long. Ensure that you add all the required information and figures where required. If the letter is long, then break it into different paragraphs and bullet points.
How to write a fundraising letter?
Here are the few things that you need to know while writing a fundraising letter:
- In order to make your letter look informative as well as entertaining, it is important for you to add some momentum to it. This can be done by starting a letter by sharing some good news.
- State the vision of your organization so that the reader can find it easy to take the donation related decision.
- What are you going to do? What do you want to do? Why you want to do? How do you want to do? What are the results that you are expecting? It is important to answer such questions in your fundraising letter.
- What is the contribution amount that you are expecting from a reader? You should mention details about the amount so that the reader can find it easy to take the final decision about the donation.
- Tell reader that, their past contributions have worked in the favour of your organization.
- Be thankful to the reader for their past contributions and also thank them for investing time in reading your letter.
Rules of Writing a Fundraising Letter
- Make use of the “YOU” attitude. You can also make use of “I” but using “you” can create a great impact.
- Using “I” and “You” can allow you to grab the attention of a reader. By using this technique, the reader won’t throw your letter in a dustbin.
- It is important to talk about the benefits of making a donation, rather than talking more about the needs. Understand the fact that, donors are not interested in your budget deficit. They are more interested in knowing the motive behind making a donation because this in return can give them some good feeling of helping others.
- Give details to your readers in the fundraising letter about tangible and intangible benefits.
- State in your letter specifically that, you need money and not just a moral support.
- Be clear with your language while asking for money and don’t try to say it by using indirect words.
- There is no need to go vague or feel shy while mentioning the donation amount.
- The packaging of your letter should be such that the reader can find it easy to read a letter. Your letter should look interesting and appealing. The good packaging here means, using right font, leaving proper space, using organization letterhead etc.
- In a fundraising letter, you should make use of simple and straightforward English. Write short sentences and make use of the powerful words. It is suggested, to avoid adding big words and phrases.
- Don’t make use of abbreviations. Make use of the correct adjectives and adverbs.
- You can make use of keywords and phrases, in the bold letters.
- Arrange proper spacing while dividing paragraphs because it can allow the reader to easily read a letter. The appearance of a fundraising letter should be soothing to your eyes.
- A single paragraph in your letter, should not be more than of 6 to 7 lines. You can make use of the bullet points, in order to add life to the content of a letter.
- If the fundraising letter is too long, then try adding sub-headings.
- Provide an appropriate reason for making a donation and also state the sense of urgency. Mention the deadline to make a donation so that reader can know the time limit of making the donations.
- Write the limited content that is required, in order to avoid annoying your reader.
Features of an Effective Fundraising Letter
- Personalize your letter by using the first name. it is important to state right name in a letter.
- Be thankful to a donor, for showing his or her support in the past.
- The research work says that, generally, in this type of a letter, stories win over the facts. Narrate the story that is true and heart-warming.
- Talk about the donation cause and make your donor feel hero, so that you can get a prompt donation.
- Don’t show-off, by writing big words. Make use of simple and friendly language in a fundraising letter.
- It is important to write such a letter to a right person who can make donations. Hence, it is important to select right target audience.
- Make your fundraising letter look professional and also add a proper headline to your letter.
- The headline should always be added above the main body of a letter. For the headline, you should always make use of the bigger and bold font.
- Make use of the of good descriptive sentences in your letter.
Fundraising Letter Writing – Final Tips
- Add a personal touch to your letter, in order to successfully connect with a reader.
- Use your own style to write a fundraising letter.
- Write an attention grabbing headline, to grab the attention of a reader.